Abrasive blasting apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for blasting with an abrasive meter components including a driven carrier rotatably mounted within a housing adjacent a nozzle. The carrier includes a plurality of supporting arrangements, one for each meter component, for resiliently clamping the components such that the meter faces are protected from the abrasive blast.

United States Patent Smith [451 Sept. 19, 1972 [54] ABRASIVE BLASTING APPARATUS 1,351,581 8/1920 Motz ..51/15 [72] Inventor: Phillip W. Smith, Route 2, BOX 264, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Gibsonville, NC. 27249 6,446 4/ 1889 Great Britain ..5 l /8 [22] Filed: Marchl6, 1971 [21] APPL No; 124,810 Primary Examiner-Harold D. Whitehead Attorney-David Rabin [52] U.S.Cl ..51/15 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl ..B24c 3/20 58 Field of Search ..51/15, 8 Apparatus blasmg abrasve mete ponents including a driven carrier rotatably mounted [56] References Cited within a housing adjacent a nozzle; The carrier includes a plurality of supporting arrangements, one for UNITED STATES PATENTS each meter component, for resiliently clamping the is h th t th I f I i d 370,987 l0/l887 Stone et al ..51/15 flg'g g j j 8 me er aces are pro cc 6 919,417 4/1909 Carroll ..51/15 955,469 4/l9l0 Motz ..5l/8.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED 19 I97? 3. 691.69 1

FIG.4 56

INVENTOR PHlLLlP W. SMITH ABRASIVE BLASTING APPARATUS BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to abrasive blasting apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for simultaneously cleaning a plurality of articles, particularly meter components.

Various components of meters used in measuring the flow of water, electricity, gases, etc. are required to be cleaned periodically to maintain the meters in proper operating condition. Certain components of the meters include one or more dial mechanisms mounted for rotation relative to a face plate having various indicia thereon. The cleaning of such components with conventional blasting apparatus is not entirely satisfactory due to the exposure of the dials and face plates to the abrasive blast.

The invention comprises an abrasive blasting apparatus for cleaning various meter components while protecting selected areas of the components from the blast. Briefly, the apparatus includes a chamber or housing having an article carrier mounted for rotation therein. The rotatable carrier is provided with a plurality of clamping arrangements for releasably retaining articles therein. Each clamping arrangement includes a plate having an adjustable meter component engaging stop member and a spring biased disk for engaging the face plate of a meter component. The spring biased disk substantially conforms in size to the meter component face plate and is provided with a means to seal the face plate and dials from the abrasive blast. The abrasive particles directed into the housing are continuously recirculated through the apparatus.

One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a novel abrasive blasting apparatus.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an abrasive blasting apparatus for simultaneously subjecting a plurality of articles to be cleaned to an abrasive blast while protecting selected portions of the articles from the blast.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a rotatable carrier for releasably clamping and supporting a plurality of articles for presentation to an abrasive blast.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple, efficient and convenient means for cleaning meter components.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of the abrasive blasting apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the abrasive blasting housing having the rotatable article carrier therein;

FIG. 3 is afragmentary, top plan view of the housing illustrating the article carrier therein;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a meter component having a plurality of dial arrangements and a face plate;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the meter component of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of one of the meter components clamping arrangements provided on the rotatable carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 includes a housing 12 mounted upon a frame 14, a rotatable carrier 16 within the housing, and an assembly 18 for circulating an abrasive material through the housing.

The housing 12 includes a generally rectangular receptacle 20 having a lid 22 hingedly secured thereto for defining a closed chamber 24, with the exception of openings 26 and 28. A releasable latch mechanism 30 is provided for locking the lid 22 to the receptacle 24. The bottom of the receptacle 20 is generally V-shaped, as shown by FIG. 2, such that abrasive particles introduced into the housing through nozzle 32 can be removed therefrom through the opening 28. The bottom of the housing 20 may be inclined or supported in an inclined position upon the frame 14 to facilitate displacement of the particles to the opening 28.

Abrasive particles are introduced into the housing and recirculated back to a supply hopper or reservoir by the assembly 18. In this arrangement, the nozzle 32, which may be circular or elongated in horizontal or vertical directions, is connected to an injector 34 which serves to force air and abrasive particles through the nozzle to form an abrasive blast. The injector 34 is connected through conduit 36 to a supply reservoir 38 which receives particles through conduit 40 from the housing 20. Thus, it can be seen that the injector 34 serves to withdraw particles by suction from the reservoir 38 and force them through the nozzle 32 so as to continuously recirculate the particles through the housing 12 and assembly 18.

Within the housing 12 is located the article carrier 16 secured to a horizontally extending shaft 42. The shaft is mounted within bearings 44 and is driven from a suitable drive unit 46. The carrier includes a plate 48 fixedly secured to shaft 42 which supports a plurality of stop members 50. The stop members 50 cooperate with spring biased disk members 56 to clamp therebetween articles such as meter components 58, illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 6. The stop members 50 may be of various configurations and formed from rubber, plastic or other suitable materials. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, each stop member is attached to a threaded shaft 52 which extends through an aperture in plate 48. Fasteners, such as nuts 54, secure the threaded shafts 52 to the plate 48.

Each disk member 56 substantially conforms in size to the face plate 60 which has indicia thereon for cooperating with a plurality of dials 62. The disk member 56 may be provided with resilient materials 64 around the outer peripheral edge for spacing the disk 56 from the dials 62 and to seal and protect the dials and face plates 60 from the abrasive blast during ope ration of the apparatus. Each disk member 56 is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to a lever 66 hinged to a bracket 68. Bracket 68 is fastened to plate 48 by fastener 70. A spring 72 extends between a hook 74, on lever 66, and fastener 70 for continuously urging the disk member 56 towards stop 50.

In the operation of the apparatus, the housing lid 22 is opened to provide access to the carrier 16. A meter component 58 is placed between each disk member 56 and cooperating stop member 50 to releasably clamp the component. The spacing between elements 50 and 56 can be adjusted to accommodate components 58 of various sizes by loosening bolts 54 and displacing threaded shaft 52 relative to the plate 48. Upon closing of lid 22 and activatingthe drive mechanism 46, injector 34 forces abrasive from the reservoir 38 through nozzle 32 and against ,theunprotected portions of the meter components for cleaning the same.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for subjecting meter components having face plates to an abrasive blast comprising, a closed housing, a nozzle for directing an abrasive blast into said housing, a carrier mounted within said housing for supporting thereon a plurality of meter components to be cleaned, means for rotating said carrier to successively present all meter components to said nozzle and said abrasive blast, said carrier including discrete means for each meter component for sealing and protecting the face plates from the abrasive blast and for supporting the meter components, and means secured to said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and supporting the meter components for resiliently retaining the meter components upon the carrier.

2. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 1, said carrier further including a plurality of meter component engaging, adjustable, stop means mounted in opposed relation to said means for sealing and protecting and for supporting the meter components.

3. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 2, said stop means and said means for sealing and protecting the face plates from the blast and for supporting the meter components being positioned for receiving a meter component therebetween, said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and for supporting the meter components being resiliently biased toward the stop means.

4. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 3, said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and for supporting the meter components being pivotably mounted with respect to said stop means.

5. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and for supporting the meter components includes at least one resilient shield abrasive a disk member.

6. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 5, and further including means for forcing air and abrasive particles through said nozzle into said housing, and means for returning said abrasive particles to said means for forcing air and said abrasive particles through said nozzle.

7. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 1, and further including means for forcing air and abrasive particles through said nozzle into said housing and means for returning said abrasive particles to said means for forcing air and said abrasive particles through said nozzle. 

1. Apparatus for subjecting meter components having face plates to an abrasive blast comprising, a closed housing, a nozzle for directing an abrasive blast into said housing, a carrier mounted within said housing for supporting thereon a plurality of meter components to be cleaned, means for rotating said carrier to successively present all meter components to said nozzle anD said abrasive blast, said carrier including discrete means for each meter component for sealing and protecting the face plates from the abrasive blast and for supporting the meter components, and means secured to said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and supporting the meter components for resiliently retaining the meter components upon the carrier.
 2. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 1, said carrier further including a plurality of meter component engaging, adjustable, stop means mounted in opposed relation to said means for sealing and protecting and for supporting the meter components.
 3. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 2, said stop means and said means for sealing and protecting the face plates from the blast and for supporting the meter components being positioned for receiving a meter component therebetween, said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and for supporting the meter components being resiliently biased toward the stop means.
 4. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 3, said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and for supporting the meter components being pivotably mounted with respect to said stop means.
 5. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for sealing and protecting the face plates and for supporting the meter components includes at least one resilient shield abrasive a disk member.
 6. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 5, and further including means for forcing air and abrasive particles through said nozzle into said housing, and means for returning said abrasive particles to said means for forcing air and said abrasive particles through said nozzle.
 7. Apparatus for subjecting articles to an abrasive blast as recited in claim 1, and further including means for forcing air and abrasive particles through said nozzle into said housing and means for returning said abrasive particles to said means for forcing air and said abrasive particles through said nozzle. 